


Monsters and Mana 2.0

by 50_points_for_ravenclaw



Series: Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Monsters and Mana, Post-Season/Series 07, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 05:16:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16234916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50_points_for_ravenclaw/pseuds/50_points_for_ravenclaw
Summary: The gang relaxes with a round of Monsters and Mana after saving the world.





	Monsters and Mana 2.0

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt sent to me on Tumblr by an anon, and I liked how it turned out so here we are! A disclaimer that I don't really know anything about D&D so a lot of this is just guessing and Wikipedia and some creative license.

“So I just make stuff up and you guys react to it?”

“Sort of. We all play off each other, and Coran controls the rules and our level of skill for each activity,” Pidge explains.

They’re seated in a wide circle on pillows and beanbag chairs that they’d dragged to the roof of the Garrison, all wrapped tightly in blankets and comfy pajamas. Allura and Coran seem to have fully adopted the tradition of brightly colored fuzzy socks from the Holts, and Krolia has thrown on a pair of Garrison issued sweatpants only reaching mid-shin borrowed from Keith’s collection. The night is luckily not cold enough to drive them away, but the slight chill in the air calls for the comfort of thick cotton and the small fire they created in a makeshift fire pit in the middle of their circle.

Keith remembers the last time he’d been on this roof, back when he wasn’t allowed, when he was still just a student at the Garrison, when Shiro’s loss was still fresh. He liked to come up here to stare up at the stars and remind himself why he was there. Sharing it now with his extensive family felt better than anything he ever could have imagined. 

Keith glances at Krolia, who looks equally as confused as he, as Coran finishes explaining the rules and then Shiro, who gives him a small encouraging smile. 

“It’s actually pretty fun,” Shiro says shrugging. Keith thinks he believes him, especially when Shiro looks at him like that.

“Yeah, but remember you’ve been banned from being a paladin,” Lance says with a hostile squint. Shiro’s resulting pout is so adorable that Keith forgets to ask why the ban had been placed.

“Oh, I’m so excited!” Romelle says with a clap of her hands. The mice sway dangerously on her shoulders with the movement though they seem content to stay where they are. “I haven’t played Monsters and Mana since I was young. It was one of my favorite games growing up.”

Hunk gives her a shoulder nudge along with a grin, which she returns.

“Okay it’s time to choose your character class everyone. Due to the number of players and to keep it easier for the newcomers, everyone will keep their actual names for their characters. Now remember to be as creative as possible here! Think outside the prism, as you humans say,” Coran says with a quick twist of his mustache.

Keith thinks to correct him but decides to stay silent on that one, noticing the rest of the humans present do the same. He and Shiro make eye contact and stifle chuckles behind their hands. 

“Alright, Number 1! You go first.”

“Okay,” Shiro says. He rubs at his chin like he’s thinking really hard on the topic. Keith enjoys the small flutter in his chest at the action. His fondness for Shiro’s idiosyncrasies seems to grow everyday. “I’m going to be a Monk who is the last surviving member of his monastery. Ever since the day my people were slain, I’ve vowed to protect others from the evils of the world, and my goal is to one day close the portal that leads to the Dark Ruins of Hades and prevent anything like what happened to him from happening again.”

“What is Hades?” Shay asks, raising her hand into the air a little.

“It’s an old Earth version of Hell,” Hunk explains.

“Oh, I see.” She pauses long enough for Coran to take a breath and then says, “What is Hell?”

“Um, let’s just call it the Dark Ruins of Evil,” Shiro says quickly. 

“Your character is basically the same as always,” Lance said.

“He’s technically not a paladin,” Pidge says. though she sounds resigned.

“Number 5! You’re next,” Coran says.

“I’m a rogue,” she says immediately. “I used to be an inventor until one day I was cheated of all my blueprints by a rich lord who sold them as his own. Now I spend my time screwing over the rich by stealing their most precious items and hoarding them simply just to annoy them and make their lives difficult. I sell stuff when I need money. I hope to eventually run all the rich freeloaders out of my village.”

Everyone absorbs that in quiet for a moment. “Geez, Pidge. You sound like you have a real grudge,” Keith mutters.

“She’s been watching a lot of documentaries to catch up on recent events on Earth, and her latest one was about the detrimental gaps in income between the economic classes,” Matt explains.

“It’s totally ridiculous! Haven’t they learned their lessons from back during the two-party era? Trickle down never works! People are suffering because our political leaders can’t get their heads out of their asses,” Pidge fumes. 

“I don’t know what most of that means, but moving on,” Coran says. Shiro gives Pidge’s shoulder a comforting pat. “Krolia, it’s your turn.”

“I think I will pass on this round,” she says. “I would like to observe first to better understand how the game is played.”

“Suit yourself,” Coran chirps. “Onward then. Lance!”

Lance smirks. “I’m an assassin.”

“You were an assassin last time,” Pidge complains.

“No, I was an assassin _thief_  last time,” Lance corrects. Hunk snorts. “This time I’m a killer for hire, one of the best, if not _the_  best in the business, going by the code name _Dark Shadow.”_ He accentuates his words with broad gestures, and Krolia has to duck more than once to avoid being smacked in the face. “I’m known for getting the job done quickly without any witnesses. Nobody has ever seen me and made it out alive. Except for my latest job. I was sent into a trap by my last employer and barely made it out. The one I was supposed to kill saw my face, so now I’m trying to hunt them down and get rid of them before they can reveal anything about my identity to the world. But they are highly trained and difficult to catch.”

He spreads his hands and wiggles his fingers, slowly gazing around the circle. Keith lifts a brow at the action and takes note of Allura’s quiet giggle from his left.

“That’s actually pretty cool, dude,” Hunk says approvingly and offers a fist bump across Romelle’s lap that Lance gladly accepts.

“Alright, Romelle,” Coran says. “You’re up.”

“Oh, yay!” Keith can’t really figure out just exactly how her eyes seem to actually sparkle. Then suddenly they turn dangerous. “I am a barbarian known in my village as one with unparalleled strength. I’m the protector of my people, chosen through a long, strenuous set of trials. Any who have challenged me have been swiftly defeated. I specialize in brute force fighting and can use my strength to create trenches and break stone. I’ve been known to take out whole armies with just a few blows. Most run away scared as they know the stories of my power.”

“So, you’re just like really strong?” Pidge says.

“Well, yes.”

“Are you an orc or something?”

“I suppose I could be.”

“Do you have an objective?”

“Oh,” Romelle says frowning. “Well…I am…looking for love. Most fear me and it makes finding love quite difficult. I wish to find someone who will not be afraid, who respects my power and loves me for it without wanting to change me.”

“Awww,” Hunk coos. “She’s just lonely. Being the top of the food chain can be really tough.”

“Yes, it can,” Romelle says solemnly, slowly nodding.

“Number 2!” Coran exclaims. “It’s your turn.”

“Oh, okay. Let’s see… I’ll be a ranger,” Hunk says.

“What’s up!” Lance says with a grin. 

“I’m the apprentice of a master archer, but my master mysteriously disappeared before my teachings could be finished. Now I rely on the research he left behind to teach myself while I search for him in hopes of finding out what happened. Most signs seem to point to an evil force, but I don’t have a lot to go on. I’ve mostly been traveling around to try and find clues and learn all I can from other rangers and fighters to better my skills with archery and in knife handling.”

“Oh, that’s quite interesting, Hunk,” Allura says. “I’m curious to know what happened to your master.”

“Way to step away from your branches, Number 2!” Coran says.

Keith sighs but once again refrains from saying anything. He can hear Shiro snickering again, feels the soft shaking of his shoulders from where he’s pressed against Keith’s right arm.

“You’re up, Shay!” 

“I…” She hums quietly for a long moment. “I am a cook at the King’s palace! I work there to keep my family fed, but one day there is a fire at the castle and I am separated from them during the panic. Unsure where to go, I travel in hopes of finding where they’ve gone. Along the way I learn new recipes and make lots of friends with my meals!”

“Well, usually you want to choose one of the traditional classes,” Coran says uncertainly.

“I don’t know. That one sounded pretty good to me,” Hunk says. Shay beams at him.

“You could choose one of the magic-based classes, something a little less based in fighting ability,” Pidge suggests. “Maybe a cleric with healing abilities or a druid with nature magic.”

“A cleric! I can heal people with my special recipes,” Shay says with a satisfied smile. 

Hunk gives her a thumbs up of approval. 

“Well, that will be quite useful,” Allura compliments. Keith is inclined to agree. A healer seems a good idea for any group quest.

“And onto Matt,” Coran says.

“I’ll be a warlock,” Matt says. “I made a pact with a reaper demon to gain power, but only so I can get revenge against the sorcerer who killed my parents. The power has twisted me so sometimes I am consumed by dark urges though I fight against them. My powers are of the undead and necromancy.”

“That’s pretty dark,” Pidge says approvingly. 

“If you can bring the dead back to life, why not just revive your parents?” Krolia asks.

Matt sputters a moment. “It’s different,” he argues. “I can awaken the dead but not permanently. And the souls tend to be warped and darker than they were when they were alive. I would never put my parents through that!”

“If they are twisted and only half-there, then I would imagine they don’t feel much of anything,” Krolia says.

Matt narrows his eyes. “It makes sense,” is all he says.

“Alright, moving on,” Coran interrupts. “Let’s see, my turn. I will be the trusty in-keeper again, here to advise and guide you as you embark on your quest.”

“You’re not going to be evil again are you?” Lance asks, pointing a finger across the circle.

Keith grunts in surprise. He hadn’t heard about that part. He can see Shiro frown from his peripheral and almost laughs at his genuine displeasure.

“Yeah, that was totally uncalled for,” Hunk jumps in.

“It is all part of the game,” Allura tries, though she doesn’t sound like she agrees much with her own words.

“That was pretty harsh for our first time playing, though,” Pidge says.

“At least you guys didn’t die multiple times,” Shiro mumbles. 

Keith actually has to hold back a snort at that and runs a soothing thumb over Shiro’s knuckles where his hand is pressed to the floor behind them. Shiro interlocks their pinky fingers before he can pull away.

“You will just have to wait and see,” Coran says cryptically and the paladins all groan. “Allura, I believe it’s your turn.”

“I will be an assassin of Fae descent. I am _Dark Shadow’s_  nemesis.” Lance gasps, face lighting up. “We’ve been hunting each other ever since he first attempted to kill me and failed. I was also sent into a trap, set to kill him, but he got to me first. There is a larger conspiracy going on which I will soon discover, one led by dark magic. I have only just discovered some of the true nature of the situation and now wish to team up with _Dark Shadow_  though I must figure out a way to do so without him killing me first.” Lance looks on the verge of tears now, and Keith wonders how they have yet to simply confess to one another yet. “Oh and I go by the code name _Blue Dragon_.”

“Yeeeeesssss,” Lance whispers. 

“Nice, Princess,” Coran says. “And lastly it is your turn, Number 4…oh well I guess you’re Number 3 now aren’t you. You’ve grown a bit.”

“Wait, what?!” Lance exclaims. “No, I’m number 3! The numbers have already been decided. It doesn’t matter if he grew. Besides he got 2 free years. I bet I’ll end up taller anyways.”

He crosses his arms, glaring at Keith heatedly. Keith doesn’t much care who’s taller, but he can never resist riling Lance up.

“The numbers can change, Lance, and I’m taller now. Deal with it,” he says with a shrug.

He can practically see the steam roll off Lance’s head. Shiro interrupts before a full argument can start.

“I don’t think the number system was ever going to work long-term. Maybe we can think of something different, Coran?” he says with pleading eyes.

“Oh, of course! I love coming up with nicknames,” Coran says. “I’ll have to think on it a bit though. They’ve got to be really good. Besides we have more members on Team Voltron now. It’ll probably take a tick or two.”

“That’s fine,” Shiro breathes, shoulders relaxing as everyone in the circle visibly warms at the reminder, though Krolia turns a little green at the idea. He shoots Keith a chiding look who simply shrugs in return, though he gives Shiro’s fingers a squeeze.

“So what’ll it be, Keith?” Allura asks.

He can see his mom watching him with curiosity and knows she’s taking mental notes for the next round. 

“I’ll be a fighter who is half…elf,” Keith says slowly. “I am a master sword fighter with special skill in dual blade welding.” Krolia nods along. “I am searching to learn more about my human side since I grew up among my mother’s people in the…mountains. Mountain elves.” He looks at Shiro for confirmation and gets an approving nod. Keith maintains eye contact with him as he continues. “Along my travels I met Shiro. I immediately admired his goal to protect and decide to follow him. I travel with him and help him protect the weak and investigate the…Portal of Evil?” Shiro shrugs in a dismissive gesture, though he’s smiling softly. “In return, he helps me research my father’s family and learn more about humans. He’s the first human I trust.”

“Ugh!” Lance groans loudly.

Keith snaps out of whatever fog he’d fallen into. He snaps his gaze away from Shiro, trying to push away the heat he can feel crawling up his cheekbones.

“Can we just establish that they’re married already or something so they don’t spend the entire game trying to get in each other’s pants?” Lance continues.

Now Shiro’s cheeks light up, color blooming evenly across smooth skin and camouflaging the scar across his nose. Keith coughs awkwardly, attempting to think of a retort.

“Somehow I doubt that will stop them,” Pidge says dryly. 

“I second that idea,” Hunk says raising his hand with a finger pointed to the sky. “It’s better than letting them run completely wild.”

Shiro exhales forcefully.

“I think I have to agree,” Allura says with a wince.

“All those in favor of establishing a union between Shiro and Keith, raise your hand,” Coran commands.

Every hand in the circle goes up. Keith looks at Krolia in betrayal though she only gives him a knowingly raised brow. 

“Okay. Sorry Shiro, Keith. It looks like you’ve been voted into marriage,” Coran says shrugging.

Keith sighs but accepts it. He can’t say the idea doesn’t please him anyway. 

“I guess that means we’re married, then,” Shiro says.

Keith tries valiantly to ignore the way his stomach flips at that. He feels a little better when he notices the slightly constipated look on Shiro’s face that suggests he’s feeling the same way. That’s a conversation for much later with a lot more privacy though. 

“I guess so,” Keith says weakly.

“Time to roll for first play!” Coran says. 

Keith bites his lip and focuses back in on the moment. He and Shiro have all the time in the world now to think about that stuff. Right now, he wants to take advantage of this rare free time with his friends, even if he has to stumble along for the first hour of the game. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on tumblr: [50-points-for-ravenclaw](http://50-points-for-ravenclaw.tumblr.com/) (:


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